YOU’D think when the SNP are dominating the polls after years and years in power and managed to replace Labour so completely in Glasgow, other parties in Scotland would be trying to take a leaf out of Nicola Sturgeon’s playbook. Apparently not.

Douglas Ross is now singing the praises of Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign and telling the SNP to go further. Days after his own MPs voted against Rashford’s campaign.

Throughout the coronavirus disaster, the First Minister has been frank with the public, owning up to mistakes and being realistic with us. Her poll numbers are sky-rocketing. Meanwhile, Douglas Ross treats us as fools who can’t see how opportunistic he is attempting to be. I would like to see him questioned live on air about this – ask him to condemn Boris Johnson for his vile stance on this issue. And while we’re at it, ask him to explain how free meal schools are delivered in Scotland – he’s meant to be moving to Holyrood, so let’s see how clued up he really is on devolution please!

WB

Paisley

WHERE formerly the UK was seen as Europe’s “centre of gravity” in the eyes of the US, a post-Brexit Britain will be replaced by Paris and Berlin in this respect, while the UK will be seen very much as an outlier.

Both economically and in security terms the UK has burnt its bridges through Brexit and will not have the same prominence as it used to in Washington.

It is no wonder that commentators have pointed to the fact that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is willing on a Donald Trump victory to decide on whether to leave the European Union with or without a trade deal.

The British Government will face a major challenge in building relations with Biden’s team, who view Brexit as a risk to the EU’s stability.

Joe Biden already sent a warning shot last month, when he tweeted that “the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland” cannot become “a casualty of Brexit”. The UK must therefore prepare for a Biden administration that keeps a particularly close eye on how Brexit affects Ireland, given the Irish influence in the Democratic party and Biden’s own Irish background.

Through the foolishness of Brexit, the UK has put itself out of an influential position in the EU and delivered a further blow to its standing on the global stage.

Alex Orr

Via email